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Review – Live Free or Die Hard

It being summer and summer having the requisite American blockbuster movie… I was dragged to go see ‘Live Free or Die Hard’.

The movie doesn’t disappoint by living up to what you expect: cars are demolished, bullets fly, chase scences abound and the good guys always – somehow – win. If you turn your active brain off for about 2 hours it can even be fun.

With my last few synapses firing, I chuckled that while the movie was full of macho bravado, the movie played Credence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son” twice.

For those that aren’t familiar with the song or would like to hear it again, here it is with an introduction:

As the above video mentioned, the song was one of the most favourite anti-war songs in the 60′s. But I think most people enjoy it simply for its outstanding quality and not the message its lyrics contain. Fascinating how we come full circle after 30 years and find that the song has relevance today.

Here is Fogerty’s on the inspiration and process for the song:

It’s a confrontation between me and Richard Nixon … The haves, the people who have it all. Not a positive image of the people who live up the hill, with their big cars. People I don’t respect. During the Vietnam War, these were the people who didn’t have to go to war. I was thinking about David Eisenhower, the grandson of Dwight, who married Julie Nixon. I always confused her with Tricia [Nixon]. I guess it’s easy to pick on somebody named Tricia. It sounds so silver spoon.

Anyway, I was showing the band the song. I didn’t have much. I knew the chord changes and could feel the energy. I had a title, “Fortunate Son,” but no song. Yet I was showing the band the structure, my normal gig as the musical director of the band.

So, I went into the bedroom, sat on the edge of my bed with a yellow legal tablet and my felt-tipped pen. Out came the song. “It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate son.” I was screaming inside, very intense, but not saying a word. Out it came, onto three sheets of legal paper.

It took about twenty minutes. It was like vrooom — it just came right out.

I played that song at an antiwar protest. As I was walking in the hallway after our set, someone came up to me and told me what an awesome version we had played. I remember telling them, “Richard Nixon is a great inspiration.”

Nixon was always saying ‘peace with honor’ and ‘my country, love it or leave it,’ but we knew better ’cause the guy was obviously evil.

Here are the lyrics:

Some folks are born made to wave the flag;
ooh, they’re red, white and blue.
And when the band plays “Hail to the Chief,”
ooh, they point the cannon at you.

It ain’t me, it ain’t me;
I ain’t no senator’s son.
It ain’t me, it ain’t me;
I ain’t no fortunate one.

Some folks are born silver spoon in hand,
Lord, don’t they help themselves?
But when the taxman comes to the door,
Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale.

It ain’t me, it ain’t me;
I ain’t no millionaire’s son.
It ain’t me, it ain’t me;
I ain’t no fortunate one.

Some folks inherit star-spangled eyes;
ooh, they’ll send you down to war.
And when you ask ‘em, “How much should we give?”
ooh, they only answer, “More, more, more.”

It ain’t me, it ain’t me;
I ain’t no military son.
It ain’t me, it ain’t me;
I ain’t no fortunate one.

It ain’t me, it ain’t me;
I ain’t no fortunate one.
It ain’t me, it ain’t me;
I ain’t no fortunate son.

John Fogerty figured out that it was all coming around again a while ago. Here’s his song lyric on the subject:

Deja Vu All Over Again

Did you hear ‘em talkin’ ’bout it on the radio
Did you try to read the writing on the wall
Did that voice inside you say I’ve heard it all before
It’s like Deja Vu all over again

Day by day I hear the voices rising
Started with a whisper like it did before
Day by day we count the dead and dying
Ship the bodies home while the networks all keep score

Did you hear ‘em talkin’ ’bout it on the radio
Could your eyes believe the writing on the wall
Did that voice inside you say I’ve heard it all before
It’s like Deja Vu all over again

One by one I see the old ghosts rising
Stumblin’ ‘cross Big Muddy
Where the light gets dim
Day after day another Momma’s crying
She’s lost her precious child
To a war that has no end

Did you hear ‘em talkin’ ’bout it on the radio
Did you stop to read the writing at The Wall
Did that voice inside you say
I’ve seen this all before
It’s like Deja Vu all over again
It’s like Deja Vu all over again

John Fogerty figured out that it was all coming around again a while ago. Here’s his song lyric on the subject:

Deja Vu All Over Again

Did you hear ‘em talkin’ ’bout it on the radio
Did you try to read the writing on the wall
Did that voice inside you say I’ve heard it all before
It’s like Deja Vu all over again

Day by day I hear the voices rising
Started with a whisper like it did before
Day by day we count the dead and dying
Ship the bodies home while the networks all keep score

Did you hear ‘em talkin’ ’bout it on the radio
Could your eyes believe the writing on the wall
Did that voice inside you say I’ve heard it all before
It’s like Deja Vu all over again

One by one I see the old ghosts rising
Stumblin’ ‘cross Big Muddy
Where the light gets dim
Day after day another Momma’s crying
She’s lost her precious child
To a war that has no end

Did you hear ‘em talkin’ ’bout it on the radio
Did you stop to read the writing at The Wall
Did that voice inside you say
I’ve seen this all before
It’s like Deja Vu all over again
It’s like Deja Vu all over again